Falana says US report on Lekki #EndSARS shootings an attempt at cover-up

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, on Thursday, April 1, stated that the report issued by the United States of America (U.S.A) on Lekki Toll Plaza killings is contradictory and misleading.

Falana made this assertion via a statement issued on Thursday in Lagos.

According to him, the report was prejudicial in view of the current sitting of the panel of enquiry set up by the Lagos State government into the matter.

The lawyer urged the panel members to ignore it.

Falana also stated that the report attempted to cover up the killings at Lekki and other parts of the state from October 20 to 27, 2020.

Read also: Falana accuses Nigerian govt of plans to increase fuel pump price to N500 per litre

He said: “On the one hand, the report claimed that the members of the security forces were enforcing curfew by firing into the air to disperse protesters at the toll plaza. On the other hand, the report states that some protesters had turned violent after criminal elements infiltrated them and so the security forces fired protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate.”

The lawyer noted that the report did not mention the detachment of soldiers, who he said allegedly caused the mayhem.

“Do soldiers shoot into the air to enforce curfew in the United States? How can the United States Government be allowed to treat the proceedings before a properly constituted Judicial Panel of Enquiry so contemptuously?” he asked.

Falana added: “The report is prejudicial in every material particular. It should be ignored by the Judicial Panel as it is designed to preempt the evidence being adduced by the survivors of the barbaric attack.”

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